nursing shortage

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My question is : how severe is the nursing shortage?I know of other universities and collages graduating a good number of nurses and there's still a shortage. Where are the nurses going?What are they doing?

I don't have the energy right now to debate the existence or not of a nursing shortage. There has been legislation and national debate, and that should be enough. Some areasare not affected as much by recruitment/retention/salary issues, so the 'shortage' is not noticeable; and floors are not closed, etc. But, there definitely is a shortage of nurses who are willing to practice as nurses in hospitals or other traditional settings in many others.

This 20+ year veteran has seen a lot, and yes, I agree that 'THE SUITS' get much more than they ever merit. But isn't this true with many other big corporations? I'm inclined to think that a bit of public outcry over what they see as their birthright will effect legislators and the CEOS.:eek:

I also have an interesting article from a physicians perspective about the shortage of nurses. I don't know how to link in this message board; but it is from an AMA website. Just try cutting and pasting into your browser:

http://www.ama-assn.org/sci-pubs/amnews/amn_02/edca0128.htm

Now, I'll try the above directions for inserting a hyperlink into my message!

http://www.ama-assn.org/sci-pubs/amnews/amn_02/edca0128.htm

It is an article "Hailing one of health care's priceless resources-nurses", and hopefully has not been removed from the site since I found it.

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JeannieM,

Congratulations! I would love to have a program like yours in place at my facility. We have begged and pleaded and the massive turnover of staff with less than 5 years in the biz still hasn't turned them around.

Our orientees are mainly now, GN's, in a busy regional referral center ICU. Medical, Coronary and Surgical pts. They spend ions on day shift even if they will eventually work nights and spend a good portion of that time in a class room setting rather than getting the clinical experience they need. They come off orientation, ready or not, and usually get clobbered with horrific assignments. The more senior staff have even uglier assignments and really can't back up the new people as much as we would like. The unit mgmt. is all but worthless when it comes to supporting the new staff. It is just sad! We are supposed to meet once a week to discuss progress, never happens-even when I keep asking. On nights, I have asked repeatedly for over 5 years for us to please be given some kind of update on the orientee prior to them arriving on nights. This has never happened. Yet we have a nursing administration that thinks they are doing a bang up job! I don't know how you got thru to your administrators but you have my utmost respect for having an orientation program like this in place!

Our hospital dropped its very successful Diploma school because "it wasn't making money". They had the staff to teach the students and a waiting list. Welcome to my world!! Sad thing is most other hospitals in my area have the same mentality!

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Fedupnurse, I am just lucky to work for the most progressively-thinking administrator I've ever met. And you're right about the day-shift thing; one aspect of our program is that we have both day and night mentors, and the students will have the opportunity to work significantly on both shifts. One thing I hope will come of this is elimination of the "we-work-harder" syndrome, at least where these interns are concerned. When they see how both shifts work really hard, just differently, they should learn to value and support their peers on both shifts (hey, am I idealistic or nuts!). Allnurse peers, please cross your fingers for us. We're trying this on one pilot unit. If this thing flies and earns back its initial cost, hopefully we can spread it to other units, then other hospitals and see our new nursing peers get the training they need and deserve. Jeannie

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Hmm. Interesting thread.

Is there a shortage? Hell yes. A bad one. The solution? You got me. There are a whole myriad of problems plaguing the profession, from the pay to the hours to the level of respect to having to get certification after certification after certification. And don't even get me started on JCAHO.

Nursing schools, as I understand it, are slowing admissions due to the lack of instructors, not students. From my understanding (I say this because of course I could be way off base here), students are a-plenty applying to the programs, but the waiting lists are years long.

Fedupnurse brings up an interesting point about the Diploma programs being phased out, and she's for the most part right, IMO. Diploma programs, unlike ADN and BSN programs (I have a BSN, for all of those who wanna know....) are run very strictly and tightly controlled. Those students are immersed in the clinical aspect of nursing, and generally, diploma programs turn out fine nurses and it's sad that they're being phased out, especially at a time like this.

I've thought about going back to be a clinical instructor because I love having nursing students and I enjoy teaching the clinical aspect of my specialty. Fortunately for me, my husband is in a very well-paying field and we can afford a pay cut. However, this is not the case for a LOT of nurses....I think a majority of nurses are the primary breadwinners in their households. Yet another factor that contributes to the shortage. The hospitals know they have these sole breadwinner nurses by the purse strings, and they abuse them as a result because they know the nurse can't AFFORD to leave. Sad.

Just my rambling thoughts on the matter.

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To: Cheerfuldoer Post # 28

Thanx for your suggestions and prayers.

Still working on finding around $20,000 per year to add to what grants and loans I'll have to live on.:kiss

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Nurse Lady,

Have you looked into working 24 for 36? My health system offers PCA (nurse's aide) positions to nursing students. You work 2 12's get paid for 36 and get benefits. Really not a bad deal, I wish I had it when I was working FT and going to nursing school.

Good luck

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Nurselady, have you involved your school counselors, your church, area facilities etc. in your search for financing? Maybe there are work study programs or other innovative ideas out there... Best wishes!...where there's a will there's a way! I will pray for solutions. :)

Jeannie, your program sounds VERY exciting and I'll look forward to getting regular reports on it...hope you'll share with us!

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There are 5 RNs working at our local Outback Steakhouse! Nursing shortage - no way. Shortage of nurses working as nurses - you bet. Why? How about pay, hours, workload, working conditions, overtime and morale. Me - still hanging in there but 1/2 done with midwifery school, yippee!!!

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Check out newly available grant/loan programs in your state. Also, for when you finish & have loans to pay back, the federal govt just passed the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program - thanks to the efforts of politically active nurses. Applications are now being accepted:

4/24/02

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is now taking applications for the Nurse Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP). ANA was instrumental in obtaining funding increases for this program which provides up to 85% of student loan debt for nurses who work in eligible facilities located in areas experiencing a shortage of nurses. The purpose of the NELRP is to assist in the recruitment and retention of professional nurses dedicated to providing health care to under served populations. HRSA is accepting FY 2002 Application now, they are due June 14. Determination of which eligible applicants will receive an award is based on a four-tier preference scale based on the availability of funds.

A person who has received a baccalaureate or associate degree in nursing, a diploma in nursing, or a graduate degree from an accredited school of nursing is eligible. More information and the application materials are available online at http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/loanrepay.htm. >

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How much longer are we as nurses going to point out the inequities and WELL KNOWN PROBLEMS to other nurses, and 'cry in our beer' before we try take positive steps to solve this problem? It may not feel that we've solved anything, but even if we make ONE change or make one peson think differently, we've accomplished A LOT.;)

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

YES!!!!!!!!!! FINALLY A POSITIVE AND PROACTIVE POST!!!! Thank you, TEAM RN!!!!!...I am so sick of whining also. Time NOW is to promote nursing as a viable career for the young, and then LIVE IT OUT AS ONE! Make the newest nurses welcome, treat them with respect...and let us treat OURSELVES with respect. Let us live healthfully and take care of ourselves! Let us respect our careers enuf not to diss ourselves and nursing uselessly to others. If becoming burned out, sheesh, change areas or jobs. There are plenty of 'em. While our friends in computers and business are languishing on unemployment, we have jobs o'plenty. THERE is something to BE grateful for! Accentuate the POSITIVE!

ENUF WHINING AND BEMOANING what we wish for and time to ACT. ALL it takes is some positives ideas, proactivity, and the willingness to turn the tide a bit. If healthcare abuses are extreme, maybe it is time to point out severe deficiencies to the MEDIA! But if there are things we can solves ourselves, let's do so. WE have plenty of excuses why "we can't" now--WHAT CAN we DO????

Let the public know how important we nurses are to health care----BANG THE GONG and RATTLE SOME CAGES!!!! How many here have talked publicly to school students about the IMPORTANT THINGS YOU DO EACH DAY???? How many of you tell your kids what you do? How many volunteer in the community, showing how nurses do care????

***Do you even realize how many lives you touch unforgetably in your day-to-day work????*** Very FEW careers come close in this area!!

COME ON, let's don't SULK!!!!! Our very futures are riding on this, guys!!!!!!! Who will care for **US** when we need nurses if we don't DO SOMETHING??????

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Hi from Michigan, YES there is a nursing shortage, but nothing like the one that is coming in the next 5-10 years when most of us baby boomers retire. The hospital I work in has 600 nurses and most are 40 years old and older. I will be leaving in 4 years. Who will be there when I need nursing care? I don't pretend to have all the answers, but part of the problem is, nurses don't get the respect due them. Give nurses the respect due them and you will see a big difference in the nurses coming into the hospitals.

We work lousy hours, holidays, and manditory overtime. Money is not the biggest issue, but respect is. I don't really have it so bad, but I know there are many who do.

A kind word from a patient is worth all the world to me. But without the respect of my superiors and the doctors I work with it it is like throwing a few crumbs my way and then asking why I am not happy. If we don't start showing the bedside nurse the respect she deserves there won't be and nurses to care for us.

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